Purchasing in bulk!
Is there anything more satisfying than a huge haul from your favorite warehouse store? The thrill of a full cart, scoring a new find, the feeling of hacking the retail system by getting 50 rolls of toilet paper for twenty bucks? Not to mention the samples!
If you're like us, the excitement quickly fades when we pull into our driveway and feel the daunting task of unpacking the car and finding a home for your three gallon jars of marinara.
We love the idea of having a dedicated "overflow" space, apart from your everyday flow. This eliminates visual clutter and allows you to "shop" your storage when you run low on something. If you have a bit of room to spare in the garage, we find that a dedicated shelf or two with dedicated, open-faced bins help keep everything looking neat and easy to evaluate what you need more of.
That said, not everything needs to or should be purchased in bulk! When do you go for the deal and when is it better to buy just what you need and avoid the overwhelm of finding space for so many items? A few of our thoughts around what to snag and what to pass on during your next trip to Costco:
Items to consider purchasing:
Paper products (toilet paper, paper towels) - We never want to run out of these items and they are easily stored in an overflow area
Snacks - These go so fast in lunches and answering the call of after school munchies. They can easily be stored in your pantry in baskets for easy access
Beverages - Drinks store nicely in open faced bins in your garage and tend to keep well
Organizing solutions - There are some deals to be had in this category! Think discounted pop top food storage, baskets and stacking bins. It's worth a quick trip down the aisle when you're in the store to see what you can snag.
Items to skip in bulk:
Cooking oils and spices - Unless you're running a restaurant, your spices will likely loose their potency before you can get to them, and neat storage for these items becomes challenging with the extra large jars and bottles.
Cleaning products - Again, those gallons of Windex struggle to find an easy home under your sink and how much do you REALLY need?
Canned goods - Will you really go through the twelve cans of artichoke hearts you just committed to? And where are you putting them? It breaks our heart when we have to toss so many expired goods from our clients' pantries
Really knowing what categories to invest in when it comes to warehouse store shopping will truly save you money in the long run!